The highly rated Alec Bradley Tempus line has a new size - the Magistri. The cigar was introduced at the recent International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers trade show in Las Vegas, and goes on sale on October 1.

Like the original five sizes of Tempus, which went on sale in May, the Magistri has a Honduran wrapper, Indonesian binder and a mix of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. The one difference is the color of the wrapper - it's noticeably darker. "It's the same priming," said brand owner Alan Rubin. "We selected the darkest [wrappers] for this cigar."

The Magistri is a big perfecto, measuring 6 1/2 inches long and 53 ring around its fattest point. Only two pairs of rollers make the size, and training took three months, so production will be limited to 1,000 boxes in 2008. "Each box will be signed and numbered," said Rubin, adding that "the size will continue in '09 as part of the standard line."

Alec Bradley Tempus is made at Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas in Honduras. The small factory is creating wonderful smokes - in addition to Tempus, it produces the hot Illusione brand. The Magistri is the most expensive of the Tempus line, with a suggested retail price of $10.

The original five sizes of Alec Bradley Tempus scored an average of 90 points in a Cigar Insider vertical brand tasting.